America, you are better than this. Over the past 200 years, every time life in some other part of the world became unbearable or dangerous, you led the world in welcoming people with open arms. While other countries created immigration laws that only let in people who could prove their "merit," you recognized that the survival drive these people possessed, the drive that allowed them to survive perilous journeys across seas or over deserts was a sign of their merit.
You haven't always lived up to your ideals. Japanese internment, the trail of tears, and our treatment of Mexican migrants over the past 70ish years come to mind. But you have a proud history of recognizing your errors and realizing that the American Dream applies to all people, regardless of where they came from. As long as they are willing to work hard. I refuse to believe that is in the past.